Modelling the evolution of adaptive responses to climate change across spatial landscapes

About the project

Through increasing periods of drought, higher temperatures and extreme events, future climate change will introduce new selection pressures on species. As many species will be unable to shift their ranges fast enough to track suitable climatic conditions[1], their ability to thrive or even to survive will depend on how well and how quickly they are able to adapt to new conditions. Climate change vulnerability assessments are often based on forecasts from species distribution models, that project forward where current suitable climatic conditions for a given species will be found in the future. However this fails to account for the possibility that populations can evolve adaptations to new conditions and so survive in (or near) their current range[2]. Consequently these predictions can be inaccurate, potentially leading to misplaced conservation efforts. This PhD project will develop a forecasting framework for species ranges that includes evolutionary responses to environmental change. We will test our approach using data from European bat species showing adaptation along climatic gradients. Bats provide an excellent case study of adaptation in long-lived wild species because of their sensitivity to environmental change, and therefore can demonstrate the potential of our approach for forecasting future distributions for species of conservation concern.

Supervisors

• Professor Rebecca Hoyle (University of Southampton)
• Doctor Orly Razgour (University of Exeter)
• Doctor Mark Chapman (University of Southampton)
• Doctor Kurt Polzin (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)

Professor Rebecca Hoyle

• Multimorbidity across the lifecourse
• Cooperation in social networks and evolution of cooperation
• Quantitative genetics of transgenerational effects

Professor Mark Chapman

• Novel and Underutilised Crops (NUCs) for climate change resilience and food security
• The genomic bases of speciation and hybridisation
• Domestication genomics

Entry requirements

A 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent , in one of these subjects:

• biology
• mathematics
• physics

Fees and funding

INSPIRE studentships are funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC, part of UK Research and Innovation, UKRI). The stipend is in line with UKRI standard levels, including the recent cost of living increase.

All studentships are fully funded for 3.5 years.

How to apply

To make an application, visit the how to apply section of the INSPIRE website .

Contact us

For questions about the project, contact Professor Rebecca Hoyle:

Email: r.b.hoyle@soton.ac.uk

For questions about the application process, contact the graduate school office.

Email: gsnocs@soton.ac.uk

Research areas